Castillo Rancon
Copperheads are one of the few snakes people run into without planning to, as these snakes don’t stick to the remote wilderness or make grand entrances. Interestingly, some states see them a lot more than others, and if you’re in one of those places, there’s a good chance you’ve already been closer to one than you’d like. So, here are 20 American states where copperhead sightings are just part of the scenery.
Texas
In the piney woods of East Texas, copperheads have mastered the art of camouflage. They slip beneath limestone ledges, curl up inside abandoned oil drums, and vanish into leaf litter without a trace. Wooded areas and scattered debris create the perfect cover, letting them thrive unnoticed by passersby.
Missouri
Missouri’s rocky terrain hides a dramatic underworld each winter, where copperheads hibernate in limestone crevices—often alongside timber rattlesnakes and black rat snakes. Come mating season, the drama moves above ground as males rise from the tall grass in a twisting combat dance.
Arkansas
Copperheads in Arkansas usually cross roads during summer, unfazed by the scorching pavement as they hunt or explore new ground. They thrive in forests and rocky terrain alike. In Hot Springs National Park, juveniles use tail vibrations to mimic prey, drawing curious lizards within striking distance.
Oklahoma
In eastern Oklahoma, copperheads favor abandoned storm shelters and cellars, drawn to their cool, damp stillness. Locals have even spotted them coiled around porch lights, preying on insects drawn to the glow. Plus, around Lake Tenkiller, hikers sometimes glimpse them gliding across coves.
Kentucky
Kentucky’s copperheads have a talent for turning everyday clutter into hiding spots, as charcoal bags left outside become cozy dens. On foggy mornings, they line up across chilly roads, absorbing warmth like silent, scaly sunbathers before dawn.
Virginia
Shrubs and saplings in the Shenandoah Valley sometimes hold copperheads coiled among the branches, waiting silently near songbird nests. A few have made surprise appearances in city parking decks, likely after sneaking in beneath warm car frames. Come autumn, leaf piles in quiet cul-de-sacs become risky hiding places.
Tennessee
Steep switchbacks on Tennessee trails sometimes hide juvenile copperheads lying motionless. Rural graveyards offer another surprise, as these snakes often stretch out atop sun-warmed limestone tombstones, their presence betrayed only by the sudden flicker of a tongue tasting the air.
North Carolina
Dusk settles over Piedmont parks, and copperheads begin to patrol the mulched paths—so seamlessly camouflaged that rangers place orange cones just to warn passersby. One Cary family learned this firsthand when a copperhead struck their 9-year-old daughter right inside their garage.
Georgia
Copperheads in Augusta have been pulled from air conditioner units, where they curl in quiet vibration and warmth. But mechanical spaces aren’t their only hideouts. During cicada season, juvenile copperheads sometimes gather near overflowing trash bins for the fallen insects piling up beneath streetlights.
Alabama
River rock scenes in Alabama doubles as a copperhead hideaway. Their patterns blend in so well that barefoot gardeners have gotten more than just a surprise. Then there’s mayfly season—when the bugs go wild, so do the snakes. Also, along the Tennessee River, locals have caught copperheads lounging inside screened-in porches.
Mississippi
In Mississippi, when the Delta floods, these snakes head for higher ground, turning trees and fences into unexpected snake perches. Interestingly, a copperhead was caught balancing like a circus act on a cattail stalk, patiently eyeing dragonflies. And in true Southern fashion, even rural churches aren’t safe from these snakes.
South Carolina
Charleston’s copperheads have a flair for the dramatic, as cemeteries draped in Spanish moss seem to suit them perfectly. And when the summer heat hits full blast, copperheads need to hydrate. So, backyard kiddie pools become snake-sized watering holes, with thirsty visitors caught on camera sipping droplets.
Illinois
Southern Illinois copperheads are often spotted lounging in crumbling 19th-century stone fences, where mice are plentiful, and privacy is guaranteed. Some have gone even bigger, settling into disused limestone quarries like scaly squatters. These shared dens also host bats and lizards.
Indiana
Leave a lawn tractor parked for a week in Brown County, and don’t be surprised if a copperhead claims the cupholder like it’s paying rent. These snakes have a gift for finding weird hangouts. Interestingly, after a summer rain, they slither up to campfire rings like dinner’s about to be served.
Louisiana
Only in Louisiana do you check a crawfish trap and find a copperhead instead of dinner. These snakes are likely chasing warmth or a whiff of leftover bait. In rural parishes, a few have been discovered coiled up inside gasoline can spouts, which turns routine refueling into a full-blown safety lesson.
Pennsylvania
Busy trails, baby snakes, and a little chaos—Lancaster County got it all when two copperhead hatchlings showed up where joggers least expected them. Some also crash under Pennsylvania’s iconic covered bridges, sharing space with garter snakes and the occasional owl like it’s some weird woodland roommate sitcom.
Ohio
Hot tubs and hiking don’t usually come with snake warnings—but in Hocking Hills, some cabin guests have lifted their spa covers to find a copperhead catching a cozy nap. Farther off the trail, these snakes embrace Ohio’s industrial past by overwintering beneath rusty old mining carts.
West Virginia
Leave a tree standing up year-round in West Virginia, and don’t be shocked when a copperhead claims it as its mountain retreat. Moreover, one snake was spotted basking halfway up a shale cliff, wedged between narrow crevices with no obvious way up or down.
Maryland
Forest yoga sounds peaceful until a Baltimore hiker stepped on the snake and was bitten on his calf. At state parks, staff have found them nesting inside wooden duck blinds, and in Montgomery County, one even curled up inside a bucket of tennis balls on a shaded court.
New Jersey
Cranberry harvest season in the Pine Barrens brings more than fruit, as some copperheads take the opportunity to nap inside hollow crates. Over near Watchung, birdwatchers scanning for cardinals have instead spotted copperheads curled inside old tires half-buried along the trails. Turns out, chipmunks aren’t the only ones caught off guard.
